


How Lio Fotia started dating Galo Thymos

by That_is_right



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Burning Rescue Lio Fotia, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Domestic Fluff, Everyone Thinks They're Together, Fluff, Getting Together, Kissing, Lio and Galo take turns using the single brain cell they possess between them, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, PROMARE SAID HIMBO AND TWINK RIGHTS, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:06:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23408767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/That_is_right/pseuds/That_is_right
Summary: What are they exactly? They’re definitely toeing the line between platonic and romantic, if they haven’t crossed it already. Friends don’t sleep together. Friends don’t jump at every opportunity to feel the warmth of each other’s skin. Friends don’t spend every waking moment together and then feel inexplicably cold and lonely when they’re apart. Right? Right?
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 40
Kudos: 454





	How Lio Fotia started dating Galo Thymos

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I watched Promare like 3 days ago and it's all I've been able to think about. This is a mess. I am a mess. Everything is Promare. Someone help me.
> 
> I know basically nothing about the Promare universe, and I'm kind of making shit up as I go along, so if I say something that isn't technically correct, let's all just pretend it's an AU.

They barely have a few minutes to catch their breath after burning (saving) the entire planet. Then, they're back at work. True to his word, Galo does rope Lio into helping, and they start with rescuing the Burnish from their pods. To everyone's horror, but none more than Lio's, they discover that the pods weren’t designed to be opened after use. Burning Rescue has the gear they need to carefully tear through the metal and free the people inside, but it takes _hours_. Lio can barely see straight once they’ve done, and he hasn’t even begun to think about what they’re actually going to do with all these people.

After the final pod has been cleared, Lio drops onto a broken slab of concrete and closes his eyes. He’s exhausted, but his people still need him. He has to get up. He’ll get up in a second. He just needs to rest for a moment. It'll just be a second. 

“Lio?” Galo calls.

Lio opens his eyes to see Galo striding towards him, worry plain across his face.

“I’m fine. I just needed some rest, but I’m good now. We need to figure out what we’re going to do with everyone for tonight.”

“Ignis has that sorted. He’s been getting in contact with shelters all over the city. The rest of Burning Rescue is going to make sure everyone has somewhere to stay for the next few days while something more permanent is sorted out.”

Lio jumps to his feet. “What?”

“You’re coming back to headquarters with me, and then we’re going to get some sleep.”

“No, I have to help them, I can’t—”

Galo puts his hands on Lio’s shoulders. “Lio, you need some sleep. I’m exhausted, and I haven’t been through nearly as much as you have today. You’re no help to anyone if you pass out and die in a ditch somewhere.”

Lio glares up at him. “I’m not helpless. The Burnish are my responsibility, I need to make sure they’re okay.”

“I didn’t say you were. I’m just worried about you. You need a break, and the rest of the team has this handled.”

“But I—”

“Lio, trust me. I promise they’ll be fine,” Galo says earnestly.

“But what about Meis and Gueira? I haven’t seen either of them yet.”

“Your buddies are fine, they’ve been helping out too. They said they’ll drop by once they’ve had some sleep, which is what you should be doing too.”

Lio sighs heavily. “Fine.” There’s no arguing with Galo once he has his mind set on something.

“Great!” Galo says, obnoxiously bright as ever. Lio can’t help but find it slightly endearing. “Sit tight, I’ll go get one of the bikes out of the truck.”

Lio drops back onto the slab of concrete and watches as Galo runs off. He really isn’t sure how Galo still has the energy to be running around like that. It probably has something to do with his burning soul, or something equally as ridiculous.

It’s only a couple of minutes before Lio is greeted by the roar of a motorbike, and then Galo is coming to a stop before him.

“Put these on.”

Lio opens his eyes to see Galo holding a helmet and a jacket. Lio snorts. “Really?”

“Safety is no joking matter, Lio.”

Lio rolls his eyes but slides the jacket on anyway. He gets up and climbs onto the back of the motorbike, putting the helmet on before wrapping his arms tightly around Galo’s middle. He gives Galo a thumbs up in the rear-view mirror, and then they’re on their way.

It’s harder than it should be to stay awake on the ride back to the station. Galo’s skin is warm against him, and the hum of the bike makes for familiar, reassuring background noise. The only thing keeping him from falling asleep is the chilling knowledge that, if Lio were to fall asleep and fall off the bike, he doesn’t have his fire to heal him anymore. He might actually die from that kind of fall. Wouldn’t that be a disappointing end, after everything else he’s survived this week?

Lio can’t stop thinking about it. The Promare are gone, and for the first time in a very long time, he feels cold. His head is quiet. He’s alone.

It’s unsettling. It’s lonely.

“We’re here, Lio.”

Lio hadn’t even noticed that the bike had stopped. He opens his eyes again and sits up and away from Galo, immediately missing his warmth.

“Right.”

They’re in what looks like a mostly empty garage. 

“Come on, you need a shower, and then you can sleep,” Galo says, climbing off the bike. He holds a hand out for Lio, helping him off the bike too. If Galo notices the way that Lio stumbles as he gets back to his feet, he doesn’t mention it.

“There are towels and stuff in the bathroom, and I’ve got some spare clothes you can borrow for the night.” Galo rummages through a locker and then hands him a couple of pieces of clothing. “Come on.”

Lio nods blearily, and then follows him down the hallway. Galo takes the next empty cubicle, and Lio isn’t surprised to learn that Galo sings in the shower. When Lio gets under the spray of water, he doesn’t think to check the temperature. The scorching heat is immediate agony against his skin, and he barely keeps back a shriek as it burns him. That’s going to take some getting used to. The leader of the Mad Burnish, burnt by hot water. How times change.

Lio doesn’t spend long in the shower, too tired to really appreciate the luxury of it. When he gets dressed again, he can’t help but laugh as he puts Galo’s shirt on. It’s only about a thousand times too big, and Galo’s sweatpants aren’t any better. It’s comical, but extremely comfortable, so he doesn’t complain. It helps that the clothes still smell like Galo, slightly smoky.

Galo has already finished with his shower and is playing with his hair by the mirror by the time Lio emerges from his cubicle. Galo beams when he makes his way over.

“Top or bottom?” Galo asks.

“Wh—what?” Lio splutters.

“Do you want the top or the bottom bunk?” Galo asks again.

“I don’t mind,” Lio shrugs. He internally rolls his eyes at Galo’s accidental innuendo. 

“You can have the top then. It’ll be easier for you to get up there since you’re so small.”

Lio bristles. “I am not small! You’re just freakishly large!”

Galo just laughs loudly at that and makes his way back down the corridor. Lio has no choice but to follow him.

They go into a different room, this one is much larger. There are a couple of bunks along one wall, and a kitchenette in the opposite corner. There are tables and lockers, scattered messily with the belongings of the rest of the crew. Lio hauls himself up onto the top bunk, and collapses with a heavy sigh.

“Hey, do you want some extra blankets?” Galo calls from across the room.

“Yeah, please.”

Galo dumps an armful onto the end of the bed. 

“How are you feeling? Seriously?” Galo asks. Standing, he only has to look up slightly to make eye contact with Lio on the top bunk.

“I don’t know. I’m tired. I feel... cold.” It doesn’t even cross Lio’s mind that he might need to be careful about what he tells Galo. Galo has already proven that he can be trusted. It’s reassuring.

“Do you want anything else before you go to sleep?”

“No, I’m okay. Thank you, Galo.”

Galo gives him a bright smile and an exaggerated salute. “Always happy to help.”

Lio can’t help it, he laughs. Galo smiles again and then climbs onto the bottom bunk. Lio pulls the spare blankets up and settles in underneath them. He keeps waiting for the warmth to return to his body, but it doesn’t look like it will. Is this just the temperature that normal people are supposed to be? How does Galo cope with it, and still go spend so much time walking around shirtless?

It’s a question that Lio ponders for a while before finally falling asleep.

* * *

“Lio? Lio?”

Lio blinks awake. Galo is right in his face and seems to be leaning over him. It’s still dark.

“Galo?” Lio asks, rubbing his eyes. “Is it time to go?”

“No, we’ve still got a few hours. Are you okay?”

“Hmm? Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Lio asks, before shivering violently. He hadn’t even noticed he’d been doing it. Holy shit, he’s _cold_.

“You’re shivering so hard I can feel it on the bottom bunk,” Galo says. “Move over, I’m coming in.”

Lio complains half-heartedly as Galo shuffles in close to him. He’d make more of a fuss, but he can feel the heat coming off Galo’s skin, and he is fucking _freezing_. Galo doesn’t waste any time wrapping his arms around Lio and pressing them tightly together.

“That better?” Galo asks quietly

“Yeah,” Lio whispers. “Thanks.”

Galo hums, and before Lio knows it, he’s drifting back off to sleep.

* * *

It’s just starting to get light again when he wakes. Lio goes to stretch out, but quickly finds himself trapped under a warm and heavy weight. Galo.

Lio finds himself strangely comfortable, despite practically being crushed beneath Galo. He’s warm, and with him here, Lio doesn’t feel quite as lonely anymore. Of course, eventually, they’re going to have to get up and start their day, but Lio is quite happy to stay where he is for as long as he possibly can.

Lio shifts, trying to move his leg into a slightly more comfortable position from where it is trapped between Galo’s legs. That seems to be too much for Galo to sleep through, and he wakes with a stretch and a yawn. He looks around for a second, seemingly confused, but then he looks back down at Lio and smiles brightly. It warms Lio’s heart.

“Lio! How did you sleep?”

“Alright. Better after you got here.” Lio admits.

“You must be cold without your fire, right?” Galo guesses.

“Yeah. I’ve been Burnish for a while. _This_... it’s going to take some getting used to.”

“You’ll figure it out.”

“I hope so.”

* * *

The city is a mess. The fire itself didn’t destroy anything, but a massive spaceship crashing into the ground certainly did. Plus all the damage he did during his rampage through the city. Lio throws himself into repair efforts alongside Burning Rescue. When he’s not with them, he’s with Meis and Gueira, organising the Burnish.

The Mad Burnish are given a full pardon, and Lio eventually finds out that Galo had a lot to do with that. Every chance Galo gets, he talks about how it was Lio that saved him and the rest of the planet. And, surprisingly, people listen to him. Sure, it’ll take years to heal the rift between the Burnish and the rest of the world, but it’s a start. 

Lio finds himself staying with Galo in his apartment. After a couple of nights at the station, they have some time to go and see if Galo’s apartment survived the last few days. Luckily, they find it largely unharmed, and Galo goes back to staying there during the nights. Lio is reluctant to accept his offer to stay at first, but Galo is nothing if not persistent.

At first, Lio takes the couch, since he doesn’t want to steal Galo’s bed from him. It feels a bit rude to make the reason you’re not homeless sleep on his own couch. But it’s only a couple of days before even a mountain of blankets isn’t enough to keep Lio warm during the night, and he crawls into Galo’s bed to leech off his body heat. That happens a few times, and then Lio gives up on the couch altogether.

They’ve been so busy with rebuilding efforts that they haven’t really had the chance about things. They haven’t talked about how Galo saved Lio, and they haven’t talked about the fact that they sleep curled together every night. Lio isn’t sure how to bring it up. He doesn’t want to shatter the routine they’ve fallen into.

Of course, Meis and Gueira bring it up the first opportunity they get.

“So, you and Galo, huh, Boss?” Gueira smirks.

“Nope, not doing this,” Lio says.

“You and the idiot, who could have known?” Meis asks, sarcasm dripping off his words.

“I’d never have guessed that big, dumb idiots were your type.” Gueira laughs.

“They’re not! I’m—we’re—”

“Boss, I have seen the way you two look at each other. It’s disgusting, but we’re glad you’re happy.”

“I hate you two.”

“We love you too.”

* * *

“Lio! I come bearing gifts!” Galo calls as he bursts through the door.

“Would those gifts happen to be pizza?” Lio calls back from where he’s curled up on the couch looking over paperwork.

Galo comes around the corner carrying pizza boxes and wearing a sheepish expression. Lio snorts and begins clearing his stacks of paper off the coffee table.

“When did you last take a break?” Galo asks, setting the boxes down.

Lio grumbles. “It might have been a few hours.”

“You’re having the rest of the night off. Watch a movie with me. I might even let you help me pick!”

Lio snorts at that. “How generous of you.”

As usual, Galo demolishes the majority of the pizza. Lio curls up against his side once they’re done. He doesn’t end up paying that much attention to the movie at all. He can’t stop thinking about Galo, about _them_. What are they exactly? They’re definitely toeing the line between platonic and romantic, if they haven’t crossed it already. Friends don’t sleep together. Friends don’t jump at every opportunity to feel the warmth of each other’s skin. Friends don’t spend every waking moment together and then feel inexplicably cold and lonely when they’re apart. Right? _Right_?

Galo’s right arm is wrapped around Lio's shoulder, and his left is resting on his own thigh. In the apartment, Galo doesn’t wear his sleeve, and it leaves his scars bared. Lio reaches out to stroke his fingers gently over his hand.

“Do they hurt?” Lio asks.

“They get a bit stiff sometimes, but the cover keeps them safe while I’m working.”

Lio hums, following the marks along his wrist. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“Meis and Gueira told me about it. A Burnish did this, right?” Lio asks.

“It was just an accident. She didn’t know what she was doing.”

“Do you remember the woman in the cave? The one I couldn’t save?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It was the same woman.”

Galo sighs. “Yeah, I thought she looked familiar. I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t kill her.”

“I just... I feel like I should have known about Kray, somehow.” Galo shrugs. “He was my hero for so long. I still can’t believe he turned out to be such a monster.”

Lio threads their fingers together. “There’s no way you could have known. Besides, you did the best you could. You believed me when I told you the truth, even though I could tell you really didn’t want to. You’re not really an idiot. You know that, right?”

Galo laughs at that. “Well, I kind of am. Just a little bit. Who else would walk into a cave full of Mad Burnish without any backup?”

Lio chuckles. “Yeah, okay, that was probably a dumb idea. You have to hand it to yourself, you might be a bit of an idiot, but your ideas usually always work anyway.”

“Saving you was probably the best idea I’ve ever had,” Galo says softly.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Lio can’t stop himself from smiling for the rest of the evening, wrapped tightly in the warmth of Galo’s embrace.

* * *

After a few weeks, things start calming down. Lio is practically an honorary member of Burning Rescue. When he’s not working with Galo, or enjoying his downtime with Galo, Lio is with Meis and Gueira. They find his predicament endlessly amusing.

“So, you’re telling us that the great Lio Fotia, the leader of the Mad Burnish himself, can’t figure out if he’s dating the guy he literally lives with?” Gueira asks.

“That’s kind of gay, Boss,” Meis says bluntly.

“Meis!”

“I don’t mean in a derogatory way! I mean that it's literally homosexual!” Meis protests.

“I’d know if I was in a relationship with someone. I’m not an idiot.”

Meis and Gueira give him a distinctly unimpressed look.

“Does everyone think we’re dating?” Lio asks.

“Yep.”

Lio groans and faceplants into the table.

* * *

They’re curled up in bed for a nap together when Lio finally brings it up. It’s raining, and the storm is beating loudly against the windows. If Lio lies very still, he thinks he can feel the building swaying in the raging wind. Galo is a warm and welcome presence beside him.

Lio still feels cold without his fire. But with Galo around, he doesn’t notice it as much anymore. As Galo likes to say, his soul burns enough for the two of them.

“Galo?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you know everyone thinks we’re dating?” Lio chuckles.

“What?”

“Yeah, crazy, right?”

“Wait, you didn’t know?” Galo asks, frowning.

“What do you mean?”

“We... we are dating, right?”

“What?” Lio splutters. Galo stares at him for a second, and then throws his head back to laugh.

“You seriously didn’t know?” Galo asks.

“What, that everyone seems to think we’re a thing?”

“No, that we’re dating.”

Lio stares, dumbfounded. “Huh?”

Galo’s face goes red. “We’re... that’s what’s happening, right?”

“You’re telling me that we’re dating? And I had no idea?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess so.”

Lio laughs. He’s not really sure what else he can do.

“Is that... is that okay?” Galo asks, unusually unsure of himself.

Lio’s head is spinning with how quickly things are moving. “Wait, hang on. Give me a second. We’re dating? Since when?”

“Well, I mean, we never really talked about it. I just figured when we started sleeping together, we were a little more than friends.”

“Oh.”

“That’s why you kept coming to sleep with me, right?”

“Not at first,” Lio admits. “I’m just so cold now, without the Promare. At first, I guess I just wanted to stop feeling so cold all the time. And then I kind of got used to sleeping with you, and you never complained about it.”

“So, this is just one big misunderstanding?” Galo asks. Lio has never seen him look so crushed before.

“No! Well, maybe.” Lio concedes. “But I’m not upset!”

“So... are we dating or not? Now you’re confusing me.” Galo says.

“I want to date you, Galo. Even though I literally had no idea it was apparently already happening.”

Galo beams, and pulls Lio into a crushing hug. “I’m going to date you so hard, there’s no way you won’t notice it’s happening.”

Lio chuckles. “Well, this time we have verbal confirmation of dating happening, but that sounds good, big guy.”

“Big guy, huh? That’s cute, hot stuff.”

Lio blushes and hides his face in Galo’s neck.

“So... do you think it’s time for a do-over of that first kiss? I don’t know about you, but I enjoy kisses a lot more when I’m not, you know, in the middle of dying.” Lio says.

Galo laughs and goes to respond, but Lio is already kissing him. Galo's lips feel like fire against his own, and while Lio still misses his fire, this might make a pretty good substitute. 

* * *

It takes about fifteen minutes for Meis and Gueira to stop laughing after Lio gives them the rundown of how he officially started dating Galo Thymos. 

**Author's Note:**

> I KNOW THIS IS A MESS. I'M SORRY. I JUST HAD TO GET THE FEELINGS OUT SOMEHOW. 
> 
> Check me out [on Twitter!](https://twitter.com/that_is_yeet)


End file.
